The Prick of a Thorn
by StickieBun
Summary: Alan Humphries didn't know what to expect when he was assigned his mentor when he entered Dispatch-but Eric Slingby wasn't even close to what he imagined...


**The Prick of a Thorn.**

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**AN: **This is just a little something I wrote during down time when I was on Jury Duty back in January. I had it all hand written and I finally got around to typing it up.

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Alan sighed, cradling his chin in the palm of his hand, his elbow resting on the untidy oak desk in front of him.

Late.

He had been so excited about passing his final exam and earning the right to officially work at the London Dispatch as a junior officer… and his assigned mentor was _late_. Senior member and dispatch officer Eric Slingby had been scheduled to meet with his new charge that morning, and granted, Alan had arrived a good ten minuets early. But the brunet had been waiting for an hour.

At first he had waited in the hall outside the man's office, but the Dispatch supervisor, William Spears, had walked by and suggested he wait inside where he would be more comfortable. It had been discouraging as the supervisor's seemed to imply that tardiness was a common occurrence with his mentor.

Finally, the door opened and a tall, well-built man with tinted glasses and long blond hair rolled on one side stepped in, pausing when his eyes landed on his young charge.

"Who th' hell are ya?" he asked with a hint of a Scottish accent on his silky, deep voice.

Alan blinked, amazed that the man would ask such a thing.

"Alan Humphries, sir. I just graduated the academy and have been assigned to your mentorship during the beginning of my career. You should have gotten notification of it."

The Scotsman blinked and walked over to his desk, shuffling through an unruly stack of papers he hadn't even begun to look at from earlier in the week. –mail, mostly.

"Ah, 'ere it is…" Eric muttered, pulling out a folded paper. "Alan Humphries, graduated top of your class in all subjects, said to be a promising dispatch officer… Well, ya don' look like much ta me, kid."

Alan's brows furrowed. "Excuse me? I _don't look_ like much? Do my grades count as nothing to you? You can't even arrive to work on time! I have been waiting for you here for an hour! I may be small, but at least I can be where I need to be on time and ready to work. If anything, it is you that I should be worried about in this mentorship. I will not let you hold me back, Mister Slingby!" he snapped, crossing his arms over his chest.

Eric blinked in surprise, so the brunet had a spark in him? The blond chuckled, shaking his head as he decided he liked this kid. "Most o' the kids I get in 'ere are lazy and don't give a shit if I'm late, giving them relaxation time before getting ta work. Yer the first ta stand up ta me. Tha's good. You'll go far in this business, kid. Dun take crap from anyone, even yer seniors. Go ahead an' shine bright."

The brunet stared in surprise. Was Eric's lateness all…a test? One thing was for sure…the next few months would be interesting.

-x-

Alan stood in the reaper library, looking up at a volume up on a shelf just out of his reach. There were no ladders attached to this particular section, nor were there any stools or chairs nearby he could quickly grab, leaving him standing on his toes and reaching for the leather-bound book he needed for an assignment he and his mentor had received.

Still finding he was too short, he stepped up onto the bottom shelf for an extra boost, his gloved fingers of one hand gripping an upper shelf level with his chest for balance as he stretched once more for that book.

His hand slipped and Alan found himself falling back, the shelf he was holding to tipping just enough to make books rain down atop him. But of course, it had been just that one shelf.

Sighing, he stood up and brushed himself off, straitening the tipped shelf and reaching once more for the book. Planning to pick up his mess once he got the one he needed.

"'ere," Eric said, walking up behind Alan, smiling as he went to reach for the desired book.

"No!" Alan swatted Eric's hand away, "I can get it myself."

"Yer too short, kid. It's kinda obvious…"

"I'm an adult and can rely upon myself to do something as simple as retrieving a book for work."

"Fine, have it yer way~" Eric grinned, grabbing Alan's waist and lifting him suddenly.

The brunet gasped, gripping the shelf harder. "Eric Slingby, put me down!"

"Grab yer book first, kid, or I'll carry ya around the rest o' th' day like a sack o' potatas."

Flushing with a scowl, he grabbed the book he needed, "Now put me down!"

"Fine, fine~" Eric sat him down on his feet before stooping to pick up the fallen books, "There is nothin' wrong with needin' 'elp once ina while." He said.

Alan looked away, setting the book on a row of books while he helped pick up his mess. "…Thank you…" he muttered.

"Hey, 's not a problem." The Scotsman grinned, "Anyway, I was thinkin' since we have th' time ta, lets discuss the case over lunch. My treat."

"I don't think we have the time to—" Alan cut himself off as his stomach protested, and he pressed a hand to it.

Eric chuckled, "I think that means we are goin'." He said.

Once the books were all picked up, Eric put his arm around Alan's shoulders as he guided him over to the front desk where they signed out the book and left to find a nice place to eat and discuss work.

"'ere ya are." Eric said, returning to their booth with their drinks, "I put in our orders and they'll be out in a bit."

"Thank you…" Alan said, looking up from the book he had propped open on the table next to a pile of paper where he was making notes.

"Ya know…it is okay to take a break from workin' once inna while."

"And you take too many breaks." Alan muttered.

Eric sighed, sitting down, "Kid…we have been working together for a year now, an' you should know I always get my work done on time unless somethin' unexpected comes up…" he sighed and leaned back, "You're just moody t'day…well, all week, really. wanna talk about it, Al? Ya know I'm 'ere fer ya."

Alan shook his head, "I'm fine."

"No yer not." Eric leaned over and took Alan's hand, "And you know you can trust me. I care."

"It's nothing." Alan repeated, taking his hand back.

"Oh come on, we were getting so close! Why the distance all of a sudden?"

Alan couldn't answer that…well, he could, but he didn't want to. The truth was, he was jealous. Despite how annoying the man could be, and how unprofessional he was at times… Alan had found himself falling in love with the man… only to have to witness the man flirting daily with different secretaries around the office, and random ladies and men on the streets. It wasn't fair, and he was trying to save himself from further heartbreak.

-x-

Alan sat at his desk, gripping the annual health report he had just gotten in his inbox, unable to look away from the words printed across the page as he took a few deep breaths to try to calm himself and prevent tears from stinging his eyes.

He came into this world alone—and he'd leave it alone.

" 'ey, kid. Yer's lookin' at tha' bit o' paperwork like it bit ya in the arse." Eric's teasing tone cut through his thoughts. "I Ne'er seen ya have such a distaste fer work before. What's it about?" Eric asked, yanking the papers from Alan's hold.

"H-Hey! No! Give those back—they aren't for your eyes!" Alan panicked, getting up and making a grab for them.

"Nah, Yer my cute little junior. I 'ave the right ta look at all ya assignments and mentor ya." Eric teased, turning and holding the papers out of Alan's reach.

"That isn't an assignment, Senpai! It's private!"

"What, did ya ask a girl out and she turn ya down or someth—in'…" Eric trailed off, his eyes spotting the medical report's highlighted words.

'_…tested positive for Thorns of Death…_'

Alan managed to yank the papers away, then, quickly hiding them in the drawer of his desk, "…Please, Senpai…just…just leave me alone for now…"

"…Alan…" Eric whispered; all teasing fading from his face and voice. He reached out, pulling his young charge into a hug, "Why Didn'nya tell me..?"

"…I only just found out…" Alan said, looking away.

"Tha's no excuse!" Eric insisted, making Alan look up at him by tilting his chin up, "Alan…You aren't alone. I'm here for ya."

The tears stinging Alan's eyes finally filled them, overflowing and rolling down his cheeks. He sobbed, hugging Eric closer.

"I'm here for ya, Al…Just as I always am." Eric continued to whisper. He bent his head down, kissing Alan's wet cheeks, "Let me be your strength…I promise—I'll help you, no matter what."

**-END-**


End file.
